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No Link Found Between Aggression and Violent Gaming

Australia has for years been home to some of the most stringent censorship rules when it comes to adult gaming, forcing many releases in the country to undergo changes before being granted release in the region. This makes it all the more noteworthy that it was the Australian government itself, in conducting an investigation into the aggression forming tendencies of gaming, that concluded that there is no known link between aggression and violent gaming.

In Other News...The Sky is Blue

The review of various independent research papers and past studies, undertaken by the Australian government for the purpose of determining how to proceed with that nation’s R18+ gaming classification, asserted that there’s been no notable connection found between aggression and violent gaming, whether in the short term or long term. While some studies did seem to indicate mild increases in short term aggression, these studies were not deemed broad enough or scientific enough in their execution to be taken completely at face value.

This is not only a positive ruling for Australia, but a good perception-setting precedent for the gaming industry worldwide. As the gaming industry continues to mature in content, and graphical detail continues to improve making that content more realistic, the criticism from an increasing number of parents and politicians that gaming is nothing more than a violent and potentially aggression-forming hobby have continued to swell.

While these findings will not end that debate entirely (it’s quite possible nothing ever will), they should help quell some of the mindless hysteria over gaming, and its effect on both children and adults alike. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some bullets waiting for me with my foes’ names on them. Virtual Call of Duty bullets of course…